Method of notification of fire evacuation plan in floating crowd premises

ABSTRACT

A security system that protects a secured geographic area, a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures an identifier of a wireless portable device carried by a user as the user enters the secured geographic area, a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to the portable device based upon the captured identifier, the evacuation map depicts safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.

FIELD

This application relates to public safety and more particular to methods of evacuating public spaces.

BACKGROUND

Systems are known to evacuate people from public spaces in case of emergency. For example, a fire, a toxic gas leak, bomb threat or other risk to the safety or health of human occupants may necessitate the need for evacuation of a shopping mall or trade fair.

In some cases, the detection of a threat may simply result in the activation of one or more visual/audible alarms and notification of a local police and/or fire departments. People, upon hearing or seeing an alarm indicators, may simply evacuate the space. As police and fire personnel arrive, they may help direct the evacuation process.

Other systems may be based upon the use of one or more public address systems. Public address system(s) may be activated as needed and used to provide verbal directions in the event of emergency.

In large areas covering many blocks, a separate public address system may be needed for each area. This may be necessary in order to avoid routing people across hazardous areas.

While such systems work relatively well, they are not always as effective as they should be. In some cases, the relative size of the public area may cause some people to think that the threat is limited to a nearby building.

In other areas with multiple public address systems, the message may be confusing. People hearing messages from neighboring public address systems may be confused as to which message to follow.

While some confusion is to be expected, the risk of death and/or injury in crowded public spaces may be extreme. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of informing occupants of the need to evacuate such spaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system in accordance herewith;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of steps that may be followed by the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a more detailed set of steps that may be followed by the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an information flow diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an information flow diagram that compares a conventional evacuation for a fire in an upper panel with an evacuation provided by the system of FIG. 1 for a fire in the lower panel;

FIG. 6 is an information flow diagram that compares a conventional system for commercial messages with the system of FIG. 1 where the conventional method is shown in the upper panel and message flow provided by the system of FIG. 1 is shown in the lower panel; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of methods for obtaining a head count in the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While disclosed embodiments can take many different forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles thereof as well as the best mode of practicing same, and is not intended to limit the application or claims to the specific embodiment illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a security system 10 shown generally in accordance with an illustrated embodiment. Included within the security system is a number of sensors 12, 14 that detect threats within a secured geographic area 16.

The secured area may be any public or private space subject to large crowds of people. For example, it may be a shopping mall or a private auditorium used for trade shows.

The sensors may be embodied in any of a number of different forms intended for the threat to be detected. For example, at least some of the sensors may be fire detectors. Other of the sensors may be toxic gas detectors. Still other of the sensors may detect biologic threats.

Among the sensors may be one or more closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) and associated circuitry for face recognition. An associated memory may contain images of terrorists or other criminals that can be compared with the images of people entering the secured area.

The sensors may be monitored by a control panel. Upon activation of one of the sensors, the control panel may activate a local alarm.

Associated with the secured area is a number of wireless portable devices (e.g., smartphones) 18, 20 carried by authorized human users of the secured area. In this regard, a periphery of the secured area includes a number of doors 22, 24 for entry and exit by authorized users into and out of the secured area. Associated with each of the doors is a reading device 26 based upon near field communications (NFC) or Bluetooth technology.

Included within the control panel may be a number of processor apparatus (processors) 28, 30, each operating under control of one or more computer programs 32, 34 loaded from a non-transitory computer readable medium (memory) 36. As used herein reference to a step performed by a computer program is also reference to the processor that executed that step.

As each user enters the secured area, the reader device reads an identifier (e.g., a telephone number) from the portable device carried by the person. As each identifier is read from the portable device the identifier is saved into a respective file 38, 40.

Included within the control panel is an alarm processor that monitors each of the threat sensors. The alarm processor may also monitor one or more public safety and/or civil defense websites for indications of threats to public safety. For example, notifications of bomb threats, weather events or threats of public disturbances may require evacuation of public spaces.

The secured area may also include one or more fire pull stations. Upon activation of one of the pull stations or sensors or upon notification of bomb, weather or weather events, the alarm processor may enter an alarm state that requires evacuation of the secured area.

In order to notify people within the secured area of the need to evacuate, the alarm processor or a related processor may retrieve the identifiers saved in memory. Using the identifiers, the alarm processor may take steps to transfer a geographic map of the secured area to the portable devices of people to be evacuated. The alarm processor may do this directly or the alarm processor may simply send a communication system link (i.e., a hyperlink) that allows the user to retrieve the evacuation map.

In general, the map may display a geographic view of the secured area along with a clearly marked set of evacuation exits. Upon receiving the map, the user may view the map and proceed accordingly.

Under another illustrated embodiment, the system tracks the number of people within the secured area by retrieving an identifier of portable devices both upon entry into and upon exit from the secured area. In the case where the reader is based upon NFC, the user may simply tap his/her cellphone against an ENTRY sign near an entrance to the secured area and against an EXIT sign near an exit to the area. In the case where the reader uses Bluetooth, separate entry and exit turnstiles may be used. In this case, a Bluetooth reader near the entry turnstile detect entries and a Bluetooth reader near the exit turnstile detects exits.

Under this embodiment, as each identifier is detected upon entry into the secured area, the identifier is added to memory. As the person exits the secured area, the identifier is deleted from memory. In this way the number of people within the secured area can be determined by the number of identifiers saved in memory.

Under another illustrated embodiment, the identifier contains a special pre-fix or suffix that identifies the portable device as being carried by a first responder (e.g., a fireman). In this case, the alarm processor or a special map processor transfer a copy of the map to the fireman. The processor may do this by transferring the map directly or a hyperlink to the map. The processor may also transfer an indicator of the number of people located within the secured area at that time.

In general, the system of FIG. 1 offers a number of advantages over conventional mass evacuation notification systems. For example, in places like shopping malls, auditoriums, airports, trade fares, etc., the visitors are always new. That is, the visitors are part of a floating cloud who are not familiar with the entries and exits. The real challenge arises when there is an emergency evacuation in places or subareas where the occupant is not aware of his/her location. Guiding a crowd to safe assembly areas and diverting them along a safe fire exit path is nearly impossible in the case of large crowds. Although mass notification systems are usually in place (e.g., public address (PA) systems, voice alarm systems, etc.), they are often not as effective as they should be because of a noisy environment (e.g., large numbers of people chatting, on-going conversations, people listening to music on their headphones, commercial announcements from local displays, etc.). This situation clearly conveys that an itemized, personalized and individualized system of information transfer may help people to evacuation without confusion or sense of hurry.

The problem of evacuating massive crowds or floating occupants in public gathering areas is a significant challenge. PA and voice alarm systems are not very reliable in noisy environments. In addition, any solution must comply with the United Laboratories (UL) standard (UL-2572) recommended method for mass evacuations.

A number of conventional systems have been proposed to address these problems. For example, at least some suppliers (e.g., EBI, BACnet, Modbus, etc.) have proposed stand-alone event monitoring stations providing client gateways with floor plans integrated with auto popups of floor plans with fire locations. Another supplier has proposed the use of NFC stations near security check-ins at the point of entry of some premises and other NFC stations in across-the-floor locations of facilities. Other suppliers have proposed the use of data servers that could save visitor information and return URLs of floor plan information to the smart phones of visitors. Still other suppliers have provided systems to maintain a head count of visitors based upon closed circuit television (CCTV) and face detection algorithms that detect the entry and exit of visitors. However, none of the prior art system provide customized information to individual users. This results in the confusion depicted in the upper panel of FIG. 5.

In contrast, one embodiment of the system of FIG. 1 operates by capturing the visitor's cell phone number through NFC technology. An NFC station with a data storage server is installed near the entrance of the premises as shown in the diagrams of FIGS. 2 and 3. Visitors may use this system while entering the premise during security check-in. Under this embodiment, the cell phone of a user may be tapped on the NFC station. In response, the NFC station acquires the visitor's cell phone number and saves it into the data server. The NFC data storage has connectivity to an event monitoring station (e.g., the security system) which has floor plan information and a processor that sends the floor plan information to a visitor upon detection of an event (e.g., a fire) as shown in FIG. 4. NFC stations are installed in various locations on the floors of the secured area and are connected with the data server. In the event of a fire emergency or other need for evacuation, the data server sends a URL (i.e., a web link) to the saved cell phone numbers. The URL navigates a processor of the portable device to the data server and displays the floor plan on the smart phone screen. The floor plan is displayed with safe exit routes (pre-configured) for different points of entry onto the floor. Visitors at any corner of the floor/building can later tap their cell phone on any nearby NFC stations to register for evacuation maps tailored to their then-current location. A URL from the server is sent to the cell phone by the NFC station that contains information for a safe exit from the current tapped location. This is shown in the lower panel of FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, entry authentication to the evacuation system is accomplished via the visitor's cell phone number. Registration of the visitor is accomplished by the visitor tapping the cell phone on the NFC station at the entry point during a security check. Visualization of the floor plan/evacuation plan/safe exit route is provided by means of the cell phone through a personalized map shown on the device display. This is accomplished by sending a URL that gives access to the floor plan of the building and sent to cell phone numbers stored in the data server.

Upon the occurrence of an evacuation event, a status request is sent to visitors at pre-determined time intervals to request (and obtain) “escaped” or “trapped” information from the visitor. An escaped or safely exited confirmation message is obtained from the visitor after he/she has been safely evacuated from the emergency.

Under normal conditions (non-emergency), visitor exit confirmation is obtained by matching CCTV footage (i.e., a face image of the visitor at the time of entry) with images at the time of an NFC tapping event detected during the exit. At the time of exit, the corresponding exit is validated by matching images and, in response, the cell phone number is removed from the data server for exit authentication. As such, mass notifications and evacuation messages are accomplished automatically through cell phone messages and notifications. This solution is in compliance with the UL2572 Mass Notification Standard.

A number of enhancements may also be made to the above embodiments. For example, the NFC may be integrated with arrival of first responders or first vision units. In this case, a fire fighter taps his/her smart phone/PDA/ipad/tablet and the system immediately provides a link to the floor plan of the secured area. The floor plan indicates the location of a fire inside a building and later remains on the screen of the portable device to help the fire fighter reach the location instead of having to remember the floor plan along the way.

Another enhancement may reduce distractions. For example, in commercial buildings (e.g., shopping malls), the shops or stalls often transmit ads for discount sales, offers and other promotional information as shown in the upper panel of FIG. 6. These ads are sent to mobile phones to the extent that delivery of the ad would cover the commercial usage points in front of or near the shop or stall. In the event of an emergency, only the floor map/link are sent to cell phones as shown in the lower panel of FIG. 6. All commercial ads and links are restricted until the situation/system is brought back to a normal state.

In another aspect (mentioned above), the number of people occupying the secured area (head count) can be obtained from the number of registered cell phones in the data server for better evacuation planning by fire fighters as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, suspects or criminals can be more easily identified using the CCTV footage when a person fails to tap on the NFC device and a snap shot (face image) is available.

In another aspect (mentioned above), Bluetooth sensors may be used in place of the NFC sensors to serve the same methodology to capture the mobile numbers. The same infrastructure is used as in FIG. 3 where the NFC is replaced or supplemented by a Bluetooth device. This solution is available for cell phones which do not support NFC technology. The tracking of precise locations of each person is relatively simple (by discovering the cell phones in range of the Bluetooth readers provided at any location within the premises).

In addition, the problem of “man down” is handled efficiently by locating the last Bluetooth reader that was in range. The exit and the deletion of cell phone numbers from the system is handled automatically by detecting any person who has come within range and passed the Bluetooth reader at an exit.

In general, the system includes a security system that protects a secured geographic area, a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures an identifier of a wireless portable device carried by a user as the user enters the secured geographic area, a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to the portable device based upon the captured identifier, the evacuation map depicts safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.

Alternatively, the system includes a security system that protects a secured geographic area, a plurality of wireless portable devices each carried by a respective human user, a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures identifiers of each of the plurality of portable device as the user enters the secured geographic area and saves the captured identifier in a database, a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to each of the portable devices within the database, the evacuation map depicts a route to a safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.

Alternatively, the system includes a security system that protects a secured geographic area, a plurality of wireless portable devices each carried by a respective human user, a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures an identifier of each of the plurality of portable device, the near field or Bluetooth device saves the identifier in a database as the user enters the secured geographic area and deletes the corresponding identifier as the user exits the secured geographic area, a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to each of the portable devices within the database, the evacuation map depicts a route to a safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope hereof. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims. Further, logic flows depicted in the figures do not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be add to, or removed from the described embodiments. 

1. An apparatus comprising: a security system that protects a secured geographic area; a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures an identifier of a wireless portable device carried by a user as the user enters the secured geographic area; a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area; and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to the portable device based upon the captured identifier, the evacuation map depicts safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.
 2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the near field or Bluetooth device proximate the entry further comprises a second near field or Bluetooth device proximate an exit that captures the identifier of the portable device as the user exits the secured area.
 3. The apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising a processor that saves captured identifiers of portable device entering the secured area in a database and deletes identifiers of portable devices as they leave the secured area.
 4. The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising a processor of the security system that determines a number of people within the secured area based upon the number of saved identifiers in the database.
 5. The apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising a processor that captures an identifier of a first responder arriving at the secured area in response to the detected threat and downloads a map of the secured area along with an indication of the detected threat superimposed over the map to a portable device carried by the first responder.
 6. The apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising a processor of the security system that notifies the first responder of the number of people within the secured area at risk due to the detected threat.
 7. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a processor of the security system that downloads a universal resource locator (URL) of the processor that transmits the evacuation map to the portable device.
 8. The apparatus as in claim 7 further comprising a processor of the portable device that transmits a map request to the security system.
 9. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the captured identifier further comprises a telephone number of the portable device.
 10. An apparatus comprising: a security system that protects a secured geographic area; a plurality of wireless portable devices each carried by a respective human user; a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures identifiers of each of the plurality of portable device as the user enters the secured geographic area and saves the captured identifier in a database; a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area; and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to each of the portable devices within the database, the evacuation map depicts a route to a safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.
 11. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the near field or Bluetooth device that captures identifiers of each of the plurality of portable device as the user enters the secured geographic area and saves the captured identifier in a database further comprises a processor that deletes captured identifiers from the database as the corresponding portable device exits the secured area.
 12. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the near field or Bluetooth device that captures identifiers of each of the plurality of portable device as the user enters the secured geographic area further comprises a plurality of near field or Bluetooth devices that each alternatively detect entry into and exit from the secured area.
 13. The apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising a processor of the security system that determines a number of people within the secured area based upon the number of saved identifiers in the database.
 14. The apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising a processor that captures an identifier of a first responder arriving at the secured area in response to the detected threat and downloads a map of the secured area along with an indication of the detected threat superimposed over the map to a portable device carried by the first responder.
 15. The apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising a processor of the security system that notifies the first responder of the number of people within the secured area at risk due to the detected threat.
 16. The apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising a processor of the security system that downloads a universal resource locator (URL) of the processor that transmits the evacuation map to the portable device.
 17. The apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising a processor of the portable device that transmits a map request to the security system.
 18. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the captured identifier further comprises a telephone number of the portable device.
 19. An apparatus comprising: a security system that protects a secured geographic area; a plurality of wireless portable devices each carried by a respective human user; a near field or Bluetooth device proximate an entry of the secured geographic area that captures an identifier of each of the plurality of portable device, the near field or Bluetooth device saves the identifier in a database as the user enters the secured geographic area and deletes the corresponding identifier as the user exits the secured geographic area; a sensor of the security system that detects a threat within the secured geographic area; and a processor of the security system that transmits an evacuation map to each of the portable devices within the database, the evacuation map depicts a route to a safe geographic exits from the secured area on the evacuation map.
 20. The apparatus as in claim 19 further comprising a processor that captures an identifier of a first responder arriving at the secured area via the near field of Bluetooth device and downloads a map of the secured area along with an indication of the detected threat superimposed over the map to a portable device carried by the first responder. 